Apparatus for hauling, scraping, scooping and grading of earth and like materials



Feb- 22, 19 E. LAUSTER 3,235,985

APPARATUS FOR HAULING, SCRAPING, SCOOPING AND GRADING OF EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 2

- t 14 131 2a 12 2s lun -Aggie a I 25 10/ 23 22a 22 25a 21 18b 26 27 24 v INVENTOR ERHAAD LAl/STER BY W S. WW

ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 E. LAUSTER 3,235,985

APPARATUS FOR HAULING, SCRAPING, SCOOPING AND GRADING OF EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E/FHAAD LAZ/STEK ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 E LAUSTER 3,235,985

APPARATUS FOR HAULING, SCRAPING, SCOOPING AND GRADING OF EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 6

INVENTOR EKHAKD L406 75/? ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 E. LAUSTER 3,235,985

APPARATUS FOR HAULING', SCRAPING, SCOOPING AND GRADING OF EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 30, 1961 Fig. 8

INVENTOR ERHA RD LAUSTER ATTORNEY Feb. 22, 1966 E. LAU STER 3,235,985

APPARATUS FOR HAULING, SCRAPING, SCOOPING AND GRADING OF EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR EKH/MD LAMSTE BY WYUVVJA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,235,985 APPARATUS FOR HAULING, SCRAPING, SCOOP- ING AND GRADING 0F EARTH AND LIKE MATERIALS Erhard Lauster, Neckartalstrasse 211, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany Filed Jan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,876 Claims priority, application Austria, Jan. 29, 1960, A 714/60 11 Claims. (Cl. 37126) The present invention relates to a power-driven wheelor track-supported apparatus for use in earthwork as well as in excavating, mining, building, grading, collecting, hauling and dumping of other granular, powdery, viscous and like materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a power-driven conveyance which is capable of performing the functions of a bulldozer, scraper, dump truck, elevator, grader and/ or scoop.

It is already known to provide a motor-driven heavyduty vehicle with a bowl which comprises a scraper blade and is capable of loosening up and of simultaneously collecting earth or a like material while the vehicle proceeds in a given direction. The scraper blade is usually located in or close to the center of the vehicle, and the latters bowl is formed with an opening for the entry of scraped-up material. The maximum weight of cargo equals 'or approaches the net weight of the vehicle and the maximum economical hauling or transporting range of such vehicles is about 4000 meters. This limits the usefulness of the vehicle and, since the scraping blade is located beneath and close to the center of the same, the bowl cannot collect material close to a vertical or an inclined wall, and the vehicle cannot trim a slope. Furthermore, the bowl cannot be evacuated by dumping the material overhead, i.e. the material must be evacuated through the opening adjacent to the scraper blade. The vehicle cannot move in opposite directions which renders it necessary to make two complete turns during each combined loading and evacuating operation.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a material excavating, hauling, loading, scraping, scooping and leveling or grading apparatus which fully overcomes the above outlined drawbacks of known scrapers and like earth-working machines, which need not be turned before, during or after a scraping and loading operation, which can rapidly collect substantial quantities of earth or other granular or powdery material while moving in for-ward or rearward direction, and which may be rapidly adapted for a number of widely dif-' ferent operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the just outlined characteristics which is capable of lifting the accumulated material to a level well above the ground so as to dump the material onto a truck or into an open silo, which may be rapidly transformed into a bulldozer or a grader to clear and to smooth the terrain while moving on horizontal or inclined ground, and which is of sufficiently compact and space-saving design so that it may be put to use in locales which cannot accommodate a dragline bucket, a steam shovel or a conventional scraper.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above described type which is capable of automatically collecting and dumping all types of granular, pulverulent and like material even if the viscosity of the material is so high that its entry into and its evacuation from the bowl or bucket must be assisted by means other than the force of gravity.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved control and actuating system for the bucket of my apparatus, as well as a specially constructed bucket 3,235,985 Patented Feb. 22, 1966 ice which may collect and/0r discharge material at more than one point.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above outlined characteristics which is capable of removing accumulations of material immediately adjacent to a vertical or nearly vertical wall, and which may be conveniently adjusted for use as a means for forming horizontal cutouts or road beds in a strongly inclined terrain or for forming strongly inclined cutouts or slopes in a horizontal ground.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above described type which is adapted to be used as an earth-compacting machine, which may move to and away from the locale of actual use under its own power, and which may perform the functions of a dump truck once its bucket is automatically filled with earth, gravel, coal, sand, rock or like material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined carry-type scraping, v scooping, compacting, dumping and leveling conveyance which is constructed in such a way as to be equally useful on small as well as on very large construction sites, i.e. which may be rapidly adapted for use in a quarry, in earthworking, mining, tunnelor road-building and like establishments of the type customary in the United States or in foreign countries.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a combined material collecting, hauling and dumping vehicle which is capable of uniformly dividing the accumulated material over a comparatively large area such as the crosssectional area of the van carried by a large dump truck or the load-supporting surface of a railroad car, and which may be rapidly and conveniently adaptedfor travel on comparatively smooth or on soft and uneven ground.

A.further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above outlined characteristics wherein all the aforementioned operations may be controlled by a single operator, which is of extremely simple and rugged construction, 'and which can replace a number of earthworking machines of presently known design.

. With the above and certain other objects in view, the invention resides in-the provision of an apparatus which in its elementary form comprises a supporting frame, traction means for the supporting frame, and a material-re ceiving bucket mounted in the frame and having a rear portion constituting a scoop and extending rearwardly beyond the frame and the traction means. The traction means includes front traction means connected with a front part of the supporting frame, and spaced first and second rear traction means connected to a rear part of the frame. The bucket is pivotable about an axis which extends transversely of the frame and is received intermediate the two rear traction means. The apparatus further comprises motor means for pivoting the rear part with respect to the front part about a transverse axis which is parallel with the pivot axis of the bucket, means for pivoting the scoop with respect to the main body pol.- tion of the bucket about a hinge whose axis also extends transversely of the supporting frame, specially constructed evacuating means mounted in the bucket and reciprocable forwardly and rearwardly to eject the material through the scoop when moved in rearward direction and to eject the material through a material-introducing and discharging opening which is provided close to the front end wall of the bucket, a scraper blade which is mounted on the bucket and is adjacent to the aforementioned opening, and a gate which is adapted to expose or close the opening in the bucket.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the novel apparatus in a position it assumes when its bowl or bucket is used as an implement for scooping up earth or another granular or powdery material;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus as seen in the direction of the arrow II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus in a position it assumes when used as a hauling or carry-type truck, the scoop being shown in a position permitting the evacuation of material through the rear end of the bucket;

FIG. 4 is a similar side elevational view of the apparatus showing the two main parts of its supporting frame in jackknifed or hogged position withthe scoop in a position it assumes when the apparatus is about to discharge the contents of its bucket onto a dump truck;

FIG. 5 is a further side elevational view of the apparatus showing the bucket in a position it assumes when the material is collected by scraping action;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the apparatus as seen in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG. 2, the scoop being used for trimming of a slope and the two spaced rear traction wheels adjacent thereto being shown at different levels to maintain the cutting edge of the scoop in a horizontal position;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal central section through the bucket of my apparatus, showing the gate in partly open position permitting the bucket to collect material by scraping action;

FIG. 8 is a similar longitudinal section through the bucket showing the gate in fully closed position, the bucket being ready to collect or discharge material through the scoop; and

FIG. 9 is a further longitudinal section through the bucket showing the gate in fully open position subsequent to complete evacuation of material through the opening which is exposed by the gate.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a power-driven apparatus in the form of a combined carry-type scooping, scraping, leveling or grading and loading conveyance which comprises a supporting frame mounted on traction means and including two main parts 101 and 102. The part 101 will hereinafter be called the front part, and the part 102 will be called the rear part though, and as will be explained in full detail in the subsequent passages of this description, the apparatus is movable in opposite directions so that the front part may become the rear part or vice versa.

The front part 101 comprises a normally horizontal closed rectangular sub-frame 11 supporting a transversely extending front axle 14 whose end portions respectively project beyond the lateral sides of the subfrarne and are connected with a pair of front traction wheels 12, each of these wheels being provided with a combat or tactical pneumatic tire 12a having a cross country or mud and 'snow tread. The axle 14 extends through the subframe 11 and carries a treaded steel roller or drum 13 which is surrounded by the subframe and whose inclined, i.e. non-directional treads 13a give good traction in either direction when the apparatus is used on a softer ground. The diameter of the drum 13 is somewhat smaller than the diameters of the pneumatic tires 12a so that the drum moves into actual contact with the ground only when the Wheels 12 sink into mud, snow or a sandy material. In other words, the drum 13 is used as an auxiliary traction means which becomes operative when the traction of the wheels is insufiicient to advance the apparatus in forward or rearward direction.

It is preferred to provide the front traction means including the wheels 12 and the drum 13 with independent drive means which may assume the form of electric motors. The electric motors for the wheels 12 may be accommodated in the respective wheel disks 12b, and a similar electric motor 13b may be provided in the steel drum 13. Of course, it is equally possible to omit the motors 12c and to rotate the wheels 12 and the drum 13 by the motor 13b. In such instances, the drum 13 accommodates a differential drive, not shown, which synchronizes the rotary movements of the drum 13 and of the front wheels 12. The electric motor or motors for the wheels 12 and the drum 13 receive current from a generator 30.

The subframe 11 is pivotally connected with a forkshaped frame member 16 by means of the coaxial pivot pins 15 whose common substantially horizontal axis is perpendicular to the common axis of the wheels 12. The upper end of the frame member 16 carries an upwardly extending shaft 17, which is rotatable in a plate like carrier 18 for the operators cabin or cab 19. As shown in FIG. 2, the cab 19 is mounted laterally on the carrier 18 and its roof is provided with a pair of t iltable searchlight-s 20. It will be noted that the universal connection between the carrier 18 and the subframe 11 is such that the carrier may be rocked about the horizontal axis of the pivot pins 15 and that the carrier is turnable about the substantially vertical axis of the shaft 17. If he turns the shaft 17 with respect to the carrier 18 by meansof a suitable steering mechanism provided in the cab 19, the operator may cause the apparatus to travel in a straight or in an arcuate path. The motors 12c and 13b are of the reversible type so that the apparatus may advance in forward direction (arrow B) or in rearward direction (arrow A).

The carrier 18 extends rearwardly from the shaft 17 and its end distant from the shaft 17 is rigidly connected with a substantially horizontal crosshead 18a. The ends of this crosshead are rigidly connected with a pair of slightly rearwardly and downwardly inclined connecting arms 18b.

The front part 101 of the supporting frame carries a housing 28 which is suspended at the front side of the frame member 16 and is supported by three pivot pins 28a, 28b, 28c. The housing 28 accommodates the power supplying system of my apparatus, this system including a diesel engine 29, the aforementioned current generator 30, and a source of pressure fluid in the form of a pump 31. A fuel tank 29a is shown suspended at the underside of the housing 28, and the latter also accommodates the starter batteries (not shown) for the engine 29. This engine is drivingly connected with the generator 30 and with the pump 31. The generator 30 supplies direct current, and the pump 31 is preferably a hydraulic pump. Suitable conductors (not shown) connect the generator 30 with the motors 12c, 13b as well as with additional electric motor means which are associated with the rear part 102 and which will be fully described hereinafter. The pump 31 supplies a hydraulic pressure medium to a number of hydraulic motors which form part of my apparatus.

It will be seen that the front part 101 of the supporting frame consists of an articulatable assembly including the elements 11,16, 18, 18a, 18b which are mounted on front traction means 12, 13 to support the cab 19 and the housing 28.

The rear part 102 of the supporting frame comprises two journals or pins 21 which are fixed to and extend outwardly from the lower ends of the connecting arms 18b to pivotably support the front end portions of two preferably triangular rocker arms 22 so that the rocker arms may be swung about horizontal axes which extend transversely of the supporting frame. The rear end portions of the rocker arms 22 carry the rear axles 22a for the spaced rear traction wheels 23, the construction of these wheels being preferably identical with that of the front wheels 12. Each rear wheel 23 is swingable with its rocker arm 22 independently of the other rear wheel, and it is preferred to provide each of these rear wheels with a separate drive means, e.g. with a reversible elec tric motor 230 which is mounted in the respective wheel disk 23b and is electrically connected with the current generator 30. It will be readily understood that the wheels 12 and 23 may be replaced by tracks or other types of traction means, particularly if the apparatus is used on heavy terrain, e.g. in deep mud or the like.

The rocker arms 22 are pivotable about the respective journals 21 by two separate hydraulic motors 24 each of which comprises a cylinder 25, a double-acting piston which is reciprocably received in the cylinder, and a piston rod 25a whose free end is articulately connected to a median portion of the respective rocker arm 22 by a pivot pin 25b. As shown in FIG. 2, the rocker arms 22 may be provided with suitable cavities into which the free ends of the respective piston rods 25a extend. This reduces the bending stresses on the journals 21. The cylinders 25 are received in bearing forks 27 which are pivotally connected to pivot pins 26, the latter coaxial with and extending from the end faces of the crosshead 18a. Thus, the rocker arms 22 are pivotable about the transverse axes of journals 21 and about the transverse axes of the pins 25b, and the cylinders 25 are pivotable about the transverse axes of the respective pivot pins 26. The cylinders 25 are operatively connected with the pump 31 and are controllable from the cab 19 in such a way as to move the rocker arms 22 to two spaced end positions as well as into an infinite number of intermediate positions.

Particularly if the motor 12c is called upon to drive the front wheels 12 and the drum 13, the electric motors 230 in the rear wheels 23 may be replaced by a pair of gear motors (not shown) which may be accommodated in the interior of the rocker arms 22 and which are then drivingly connected with the respective rear axles 22a. If the motors for the wheels 12, 23 and for the drum 13 are of the series wound type, it is sufiicient to provide only two speeds, i.e. it is sufficient if the apparatus may be advanced at a comparatively low first speed and at a comparatively high second speed. For example, when in low gear, the maximum traction of the apparatus may be in the range of tons at a maximum speed of 11 km. per hour. When in high gear, the apparatus will move at a speed of say 35 km. per hour and its maximum traction is then in the range of 6 tons. A change in the direction from A to B is brought about by reversing the polarity of the electric motors.

The rear part 102 accommodates the actual material collecting, storing, scraping, leveling and dumping means in the form of a bowl or bucket 32 which is provided in the space formed between the rear traction wheels 23 and the rocker arms 22. By Way of example, the width of the bucket 32 may be 1.8 m. and. the configuration of its rear portion constituting a scoop 48 is different from the configuration of its front portion. The front portion, i.e. the main body portion of the bucket 32 is located closer to the front wheels 12 by extending between the rocker arms 22 and the rear wheels 23. This front portion comprises a bottom wall 32a and two side walls 32b, and carries scraper means in the form of a transversely extending blade 33 which projects downwardly from the bottom wall 32a. The blade 33 may be rigidly or removably connected to the underside of the bottom wall 32a so that only its cutting edge projects downwardly from the bucket 32 (see FIGS. 7 to 9). The cutting edge of the scraper blade 33 is located immediately in the rear of a materialintroducing and discharging opening 320 which is formed in and extends transversely of the bottom wall 32a, preferably at its foremost end. The opening 320 is sealable by a swingable gate 34 which is pivotally connectedv to the side walls 32b by pivot pins 34a and which is swingable between the positions of FIGS. 8 and 9 by a double-acting pneumatic or hydraulic motor 35, this motor having a cylinder which is pivotable in a forked bearing 36 connected to the fornt end wall 32d of the bucket 32. The

piston rod of the motor 35 isarticulately connected to the gate 34 so that it may partially or fully expose or completely conceal the opening 320. When the opening 320 is at least partially exposed, when the bucket 32 is tilted to the position of FIG. 5, and when the apparatus moves in forward direction indicated by the arrow B, the blade 33 will scrape up the ground G so that the bucket performs the function of a dragline bucket by scraping up the ground and by simultaneously forcing the loosened material through the opening 32c whereby the internal space of the bucket above the bottom wall 32a is gradually filled with material while the apparatus moves in the direction of the arrow B. The direction in which the material is forced to enter the internal space of the bucket 32 is indicated in FIGS. 5 and 7 by the arrow C.

Itt will be readily understood that the hydraulic or pneumatic motors 24, 35 may be replaced by rack-andpinion drives operated by electric motors or by any other suitable actuating means, not shown.

The contents of the bucket 32 may be dumped through the opening 32c either by gravity flow and/or by an evacuating means in the form of a transversely extending forwardly and rearwardly movable partition 37. This partition is connected to and extends downwardly from a base plate 38 whose ends are provided with a plurality of rolls 39 mounted for travel in a pair of guideways in the form of U-shaped rails 40. The upper edge of each side wall 32b supports one such rail so that the partition 37 is movable all the way between the opening 320 and the rear end of the front portion of the bucket 32 which terminates at a transversely extending hinge 49 best shown in FIGS. 7 to 9. The upper flange of each guideway 40 constitutes a toothed} rack 41 whose teeth extend in upward direction and mesh with pinions 42 provided at the ends of a transversely extending horizontal drive shaft 43. The shaft 43 is rotatable in spaced brackets 38a connected to the base plate 38 and carries at a point between the pinions 42 a bevel gear 44 which meshes with a similar bevel gear connected to the output shaft of a reversible electric motor 45 mounted on the base plate 38. Depending on which direction the motor 45 rotates, the shaft 43, its pinions 42 and the racks 41 will compel the partition37to move forwardly toward or rearwardly and away from the opening 320. Of course, when the apparatus is used as a scraper (see FIG. 5), the partition 37 is moved to or even slightly beyond the position of FIG. 7 so that the material entering through the opening 320 may till the entire internal space of the bucket 32. Once the bucket is filled, the gate 34 is moved to its fully open position (see FIG. 9), and the partition 37 is advanced forwardly (see the arrow D in FIG. 7) to dump the material through the opening 320. It will be noted that the base plate 38 and the means mounted thereon form a sort of trolley for moving the partition 37 longitudinally of the bucket 32. The partition may perform an additional function by dumping the material through the scoop 48 of the bucket 32 as willbe fully described hereinafter.

Each of the guideways 40 preferably consists of two components which may be aligned in a manner as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, and which may enclose between themselves a predetermined angle if the front component 40a is swung about the horizontal axis of a pivot 53 which is preferably provided close to the rear end of the bucket 32. By buckling the guideways 40 in the manner as shown in FIG. 9, and by moving the trolley including the base plate 38 in the direction of the arrow D, the bottom edge of the partition 37 is caused to move upwardly and away from the bottom wall 32a while the partition advances forwardly toward and into the position of FIG. 9. In such position of the partition 37, and assuming that the opening 320 is sealed by the gate 34, the entire interior of the bucket 32 may be filled with a granulated, powdery or like material with the help of and through the scoop 48 which is connected to the bucket by the aforementioned hinge 49. Of course, even if the partition 37 is in the position of FIG. 9, the apparatus may still be used as a power scraper in a manner as shown in FIG. because the bucket 32 is tilted for wardly so that enough material may be collected therein even though the partition 37 does not prevent excess material from being eventually dumped through the scoop 48. By subsequently closing the opening 32c and by moving the partition 37 rearwardly (arrow B in FIG. 8),- the material scraped up and collected in the bucket 32 may be dumped through the scoop 48. The location of the pivots 53 and the inclination of the pivotable front components 40a of the guideways 40 are selected in such a way that the lower edge of the partition 37 is lifted away from the bottom wall 32a at least when the partition moves above the scraper blade 33 and the opening 32c. The front end of each p'ivotable front component 40a carries a bracket 55 which is articulately connected with the piston rod of a hydraulic or penumatic motor 54.. The cylinders of the motors 54 are pivotally mounted in forked bearings connected to the front end wall 32d of the bucket 32. In the position of FIG. 9, the lower edge of the partition 37 is adjacent to the lower edge of the front end wall 32d so that the opening 32c may be fully exposed when the gate 34 is lifted by the motor means 35.

The side walls 32b of the bucket 32 are provided with outwardly extending pivot pins 32e (see FIGS. 7 to 9) which are shown as but need not always be located in the proximity of the front end wall 32d and which constitute the means for pivotally connecting the bucket to the arms 18b and hence to the crosshead 1811. In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot pins 32e are connected to the lower ends of the arms 18b. The angular position of the bucket 32 with respect to thearms 18b may be varied by a pair of hydraulic motors 46 whose cylinders are swingable in forked bearings 47 connected to the upper ends of the arms 18]). The motors 46 are adapted to pivot the bucket 32 about the pins 32e between two end positions and into a number of intermediate positions.

As mentioned hereinabove, the rear end of the main body portion of the bucket 32 is .articulately connected with the scoop 48 by means of a transversely extending hinge 49, this hinge connecting the rear edge of the bottom wall 32d with the front edge of the rearwardly and outwardly flaring bottom wall 48b of the scoop. The side walls or skirts 48a of the scoop 48 consist of two portions, namely an outward-1y and rearwardly diverging rear portion 48a which is connected to and extends upwardly from the bottom wall 48b, and a front portion 48a" which is parallel with and is slidable along the inner side of the respective side wall 32b (see FIGS. 8 and 9). It will be noted that the front portions 48a" of the skirts 48a overlap substantial zones of the side walls 32b so that the material received in the internal space of the bucket 32 cannot escape between the bucket and its scoop 48 even if the latter is pivoted about the hinge to an extreme positionshown in FIGS, 3 and 4 in which the bottom wall 48b encloses an angle of nearly 90 degrees with the bottom wall 32a. The means for pivoting the scoop 48 with respect to the bucket 32 comprises two hydraulic or pneumatic motors 50 whose cylinders are art'i'culately connected with the side Walls 32b and whose piston rods are articulately connected with the skirts 48a at points located rearwardly of the hinge 49, i.e. to the skirt portions 48a.

As mentioned hereinabove, the width of the bucket 32 between its side walls 32b may be 1.8 m. In such instances, the width of the cutting edge 51 at the rear end of the bottom wall 48b may be about 3.3 m. The height of the side walls 32b and of the skirts 4811, as well as the combined length of the bottom walls 32a, 48b maybe selected in such a way that the bucket can receive about m. of earth, coal, gravel or another material provided that the material fills the bucket to and is flush with the upper edges of the side walls 32b and that the scoop 48 assumes a position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. If the material is piled up in a heap upwardly and beyond the upper edges of the side walls 32b, the capacity of the bucket 32 may be increased to say 12.5 m. The scoop 48 itself, if filled to the upper edges of its skirts 48a, may contain about 3.5 m. of material. Thus, this scoop alone can take up more material than a conventional steam shovel tor a draglike bucket. When an apparatus including a bucket with dimensions as outlined hereinabove is used for hauling,

of earth or other material, it can take up a load of 18 tons while its net Weight is in the range of 23 tons, i.e. the ratio of its own weight to the load is a very satisfactory 1.28:1. By tilting the bucket 32 to the position of FIG. 5, the cutting edge of the scraping blade 33 may dig up a trench With a depth of up to 0.4 m. Since the cutting edge ofthe blade 33 extends all the way across the bottom wall 32a of the bucket 32, its length also equals 1.8 m. When the bucket 32 and its scoop 48 assume the position of FIG. 4, the apparatus may dump the collected material to a level as high as 3.4 m.

I will now describe the operation of my improved apparatus Whose versatility is largely due to the fact that the front and rear parts of its supporting frame, its partition, its bucket, its scoop, its gate, its rocker arms and its spaced rear traction means may assume a large number of different positions with respect to each other. It will be noted that the various movements of the elements of my apparatus may be brought about by one or more persons occupying the cab 19 without it being necessary to dismantle the apparatus and without lengthy interruptions in its operation. As stated before, the rocker arms 22 which are not directly connected with the bucket 32 may move the rear traction wheels 23 independently of each other, and the bucket 32 may be pivoted about the common transverse axis of the pins 32e without any changes in the position of the rocker arms. Furthermore, the scoop 48 is adapted to change its position while the main body portion of the bucket 32 remains stationary, and the rear part 102 may move its traction wheels 23 closer to the front traction Wheels 12 a hogging of the apparatus, i.e. by causing the supporting frame of the apparatus to jackknife about the axes of the journals 21.

In the position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus is ready to advance in rearward direction indicated by the arrow A so that the scoop 48 may collect material from the ground as well as along a vertical wall or slope, this being due to the fact that the cutting edge 51 of the scoop has a length equal to or even exceeding the distance between the outer sides of the rear wheels 23 and that the scoop extends rearwardly beyond the rear wheels and beyond the part 102. In other words, when the apparatus advances, in the direction of the arrow A to scoop up material through the rear end of the bucket 32, the wheels 23 and 12 will pass on a surface which is already graded or smoothed by the scoop48. Of course, when the apparatus collects material through its scoop 48, the gate 34 closes the opening 320 (see FIG. 8) and the partition 37 is moved all the wayto or at le-astinto the proximity of the frontend wall 32d. When the internal space of the bucket 32 is filled, the motors 46 are operated to withdraw the piston rods and .to thereby tilt the bucket 32 to the posit-ion of FIG. 3, i.e. in clockwise direction, while the scoop 48 remains in the position of FIG. 1 (see the phantom-line position 48 of FIG. 3), i.e. the bottom walls 32a, 48b are preferably coplanar when the bucket 32 is filled with material. The apparatus is then ready for hauling or transporting in forward (arrow B) or rearward direction (arrow A) to deliver the collected material to a dump, to a-pit, to a spoil bank or to any other destination. Once this destination is reached, and provided that the material need not be discharged at a level located at a substantial distance above the ground, the operator actuates the motors 50 to pivot the scoop 48 from the phantom-line position 48' to the full line position of FIG. 3, and thereupon starts the electric motor 45 in a direction to move the partition 37 in rearward direct-ion (see the arrow B in FIG. 8) so that the partition expels the material through the downwardly and rearwardly inclined scoop 48 whence .the material drops by gravity onto the ground.

When it becomes necessary to discharge the material accumulated in the bucket 32 into a railroad freight car, onto an elevated bank, into a silo or onto a truck, e.g. the dump truck 103 which is shown in FIG. 4, the apparatus assumes the position of FIG. 4 in which the scoop 48 is lifted to a level located at a considerable distance (e.g. 3.4 m.) above the level of the ground. This is attained by jackknifing the support-ing frame of the apparatus, i.e. the operator actuates the motors 24 in order to swing the rocker arms 22 counterclockwise about the journals 21 so that the front traction wheels 12 move closer to the rear traction wheels 23 and that the axes of the journals 21 are substantially or nearly coplanar with the axes of the pivot pins 26 and of the rear axles 22a. If necessary, the operator also actuates the motors 46 to swing the loaded bucket 32 about the pins 32:: in clockwise direction which lifts the scoop 48 even further above the ground. In the next step, the operator actuates the motors 50 to pivot the scoop 48 in counterclockwise direction so that the bottom wall 48b of the scoop assumes a horizontal or a rearwardly and downwardly inclined position. When the motor 45 is started to move the partition 37 toward the scoop 48, the interior of the bucket 32 is evacuated in a fully automatic way. Since the scoop flares outwardly and rearwardly, i.e. since the width of its discharge end and of its cutting edge 51 exceeds substantially the distance between the side walls 32b, the material is uniformly distributed on the platform of the truck 103 without it being necessary to move the truck forwardly or rearwardly during the dumping operation.

It will be noted that the distance between the edge 51 of the scoop 48 and the rear wheels 23 increases substantially when the apparatus assumes the position of FIG. 4, this being due to the fact that the rear axles 22a are moved closer to the front axle 14 and that the bucket 32 is pivoted about the pins 322. Thus, the apparatus may be moved into immediate proximity of the dump truck 103 and, if necessary, the operator may actuate the motors 24 and/or 46 to reciprocate the scoop 48 transversely above the platform of the truck in order to more uniformly distribute the material which is being evacuated by the partition 37. Such construction of the apparatus is of equal advantage when the material must be discharged on top of a high pile in a storage lot, through the upper end of a high silo, or onto a highway fill.

If the apparatus is utilized for collecting and hauling of very tough and highly viscous material which cannot be forced through the comparatively narrow compartment between the skirt portions 48a and into the space between the side walls 32b while the apparatus advances in the direction of the arrow A, the operator may proceed as follows: In the first step, and while the scoop 48 assumes the position of FIG. 1, the apparatus is advanced in the direction of the arrow A until the scoop is filled with viscous material. In the next step, the bucket 32 is tilted to the position of FIG. 3 (while the scoop remains in its phantom-line position 48) or to the position of FIG. 4 whereby the material drops by gravity toward the front end wall $20!. The operation is then repeated by returning the bucket and the scoop to the position of FIG. 1, by moving the apparatus in the direction of the arrow A to refill the scoop, and by again pivoting the bucket to the position of FIG. 3 or 4 so as to fill the bucket in step-by-step fashion. In other words, a viscous material may be collected through the scoop 48 in several (e.g. three) steps which adds only little to the duration of a loading operation because the scoop is capable of 10 receiving substantial quantities of material. Of course, if the material is comparatively dry and if it is of sandy, rocky or like consistency, the bucket 32 may be filled in a continuous operation while the apparatus advances in the direction of the arrow A.

The introduction of a viscous material through the scoop 48 and into the interior of the bucket 32 may be facilitated by an arrangement which is shown in FIG. 9. The rear component 40b of each guideway 40 is also swingable about the pivot pin 53 and is connected with the piston rod of a hydraulic or pneumatic motor 54a which is articulately connected to the respective side wall 3217. By pivoting the rear component 40b in clockwise direction and by moving the base plate 38 all the way in a direction to the left, as viewed in FIG. 9, the opera-tor may life the partition 37 above the bottom wall 48b of the scoop 48 so that, when the motor 45 is subsequently started in a direction to move the base plate 38 to the right (arrow D), the partition will force the viscous material through the compartment between the skirt portions 48a" and into the space between the side walls 32b. Such arrangement is particularly useful if the viscosity of the collected material is so high that it prevents this material from descending by gravity toward the front end Wall 32d even if the bucket is tilted to the position of FIG. 3 or 4.

According to a further feature of my invention, the improved apparatus may be utilized as a skimmer or leveler for grading work by pivoting the bucket 32 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, so that the edge 51 of the scraper contacts the ground while the apparatus advances in forward direction indicated by the arrow B. In fact, by at least partially exposing the opening 32c (see the position of the gate 34 in FIG. 1) and by gradually advancing the partition 37 to the right, the material evacuated through the opening 320 while the apparatus moves to the right (arrow B) is immediately graded or leveled by the bottom wall 48b of the scoop 48 and by the edge 51 so that the ground rearwardly of the scoop presents a smooth horizontal surface.

If it is desired to use the apparatus as a bulldozer, the bucket 32 is tilted counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG 3, so that the edge 51 comes into contact with the ground while the botton wall 32a remains at a certain distance above the ground. The bottom wall 48b of the scoop then pushes the material to the left, while the apparatus advances in the direction of the arrow A, without permitting the material to enter the internal space of the bucket. In other words, the bottom Wall 48b then performs the function of a bulldozer blade and may be used for excavating work, for trimming of slopes, for pushing away loose rock, for rapidly shifting accumulations of granular, powdery or like material along the ground, and for many other types of earthwork.

Of course, it is equally possible to tilt the bucket 32 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, until the cutting edge 51 comes into contact with or close to the ground, and to subsequently discharge the material by moving the partition to the right while the apparatus advances in the direction of the arrow B. In such instances, the edge 51 and the bottom wall 48b act as a skimmer and transform the discharged material into a layer with a smooth upper surface.

The partition 37 acts as a two-way evacuating means because it is capable of discharging material through the scoop 48 as well as through the opening 320. As is known, all power-driven scrapers of presently known design are equipped with buckets having a single opening which is used alternately for collection and evacuation of scraped-up material. If the partition 37 assumes the position of FIG. 5 (adjacent to the hinge 49) and the apparatus moves in the direction indicated by the arrow B, the material scraped up by the blade 33 will fill the major part of the bucket and may be subsequently evacuated through the opening 32c by moving the partition in a direction to the right. When the partition is moved to the position of FIG. 9, the material may be introduced through the opening 320 or through the scoop 48 and may be evacuated by gravity flow through the opening 320 if the bucket is subsequently tilted to the position of FIG. 3 or 4, or through the scoop 48 if the partition 37 is moved to the left, i.e, toward the hinge 49.

Referring now to FIG. 6, it will be seen that, owing to independent adjustability of the rocker arms 22 about the transverse axes of the respective journals 21, the rear wheels 23 may be moved with respect to each other in two parallel vertical planes to maintain the cutting edge of the blade 33 and the cutting edge 51 of the scoop 48 in a horizontal position even though the ground may slope by as much as 30 degrees. Thus, the plane connecting the points of contact between the rear wheels 23 and the ground may be inclined through 30 degrees with respect to the plane of the cutting edge 51 and with respect to the plane of the cutting edge on the scraper blade 33. Such independent adjustability of the rear wheels 23 is of particular advantage when the apparatus is utilized for trimming of slopes because the vertical position of the rear wheels may be adjusted to the momentary inclination of the slope while the cutting edges remain in a horizontal position. In FIG. 6, the apparatus is assumed to advance in a direction toward the observer so that the cutting edge 51 digs into the sloping ground and enables the wheels 12 to travel along the horizontal bottom surface of the cutout formed by the scoop 48. This is of great advantage when the apparatus is used for road construction in a mountainous area where the road must be cut into a slope.

On the other hand, if it is desired to cut a slope into a horizontal ground, the rear wheels 23 are adjusted in such a way that the cutting edge 51 and the scraper blade 33 are inclined through a certain angle with respect to the horizontal surface of the ground. This can be readily understood without any additional illustration merely by turning FIG. 6 until the surface of the ground G is located in a substantially horizontal plane. Since the center of gravity of the apparatus is very low, such lateral tilting through up to 30 degrees presents no danger that the apparatus would overturn.

I will now summarize certain more important uses of my improved apparatus by giving some specific data, such as weight, capacity, distances and the like, which should not be construed in a limitative sense as they are given with the sole purpose of contributing to the full understanding of the invention and of showing the unmatched versatility of the apparatus.

With the scoop suitably inclined and in actual contact with the ground or with a material on the ground, the apparatus may be used as a bulldozer for digging, scraping, grading and excavating work. By moving the bucket to the position shown for example in FIG. 3, it is possible to utilize the apparatus as a dump truck for the hauling and transporting of up to 18 tons of cargo through a distance of up to about or even beyond km; When the bucket is tilted anticlockwise from the position of FIG. 3, the apparatus may discharge and distribute the collected material through its front opening, and may simultaneously level the distributed material with the help of its scoop so that the material is transformed into a thin layer with a smooth upper surface. In the position of FIG. 4, the apparatus is capable of dumping the contents of its bucket in rearward direction onto the platform of a dump truck, into a railroad car, onto a stockpile, onto a dump, onto a high fill or into an open silo. The wheels and the drum may be used as a means for rolling and compacting a soft material under the weight of the apparatus or under the weight of the apparatus and the material accumulated in the bucket. According to another feature of the invention, the apparatus may be used for the preparation of subgrade, roadbeds and the like. By using the scoop as a bulldozer blade,

the apparatus may be utilized for loosening up and pushing to a different location substantial quantities of earth, broken rock, coal, or the like material through distances of up to .and exceeding 40 m. by simultaneous leveling of the surface exposed by the shifted material. The bucket may be used for loosening and for step-by-step collection of viscous or freely flowing materials in locales where the utilization of a dragline bucket is not possible and, by suitably inclining the bucket with respect to the supporting plane of the rear wheels, the apparatus may be used for the formation of embankments and for the trimming of slopes which are inclined through as much as 30 degrees with respect to the aforementioned supporting plane. The apparatus may be used for loosening, loading and hauling of a wide variety of materials, such as earth, broken rock, barren rock, stones, fine gravel, sand, coarse gravel, coal and the like. By collecting the material with the help of the scoop, the apparatus may be used for rapidly collecting earth or a like material in volumes of up to and more than 10 cm. and, if the material is to be transferred through comparatively short distances, the apparatus may be used as a regular carrytype vehicle capable of transporting up to 18 tons of useful load. Such use of my apparatus as a dump truck is particularly advisable if the distances through which the material must be hauled are short and do not warrant the transfer of material into a dump truck and subsequent unloading at the new location.

Furthermore, the apparatus may be loaded with cargo while moving in a first direction and may thereupon deliver the cargo in the opposite direction without turning. The bucket may be lifted to a level well above the ground if the apparatus is used on rough terrain and may be moved to and retained in any desired intermediate position within extremely short periods of time,

When advancing to and from the locale of actual use, the improved apparatus may travel at a speed which is sufficiently high so that the apparatus will now slow down the commercial traflic, and the apparatus is also capable of taking a sharp curve without substantial reduction in its forward speed.

When used as a means for transferring material from a stockpile to a dump truck or to -a railroad truck, the apparatus of the present invention exhibits a series of important advantages when compared with a steam shovel. The bucket may accommodate substantial quantities of material so that the improved apparatus will makeonly one trip to fill say a heavy truck while a steam shovel must perform such work in step-by-step fashion.

In a mine, the novel apparatus may be used as a bulldozerto remove from the rock layer any accumulations of dirt, soil and small stones, or to trans-fer such accumulations to the dump. Once the rock is broken or blasted loose, the apparatus utilizes its bucket to collect the broken rock and to transfer it to a silo, to a railroad car or to any other destination.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteri'stics' of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a supporting frame comprising a front part including a subframe, a frame member connected with said subframe for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal first axis and having an upwardly extending shaft having an axis perpendicular to said first axis, a carrier rotatably mounted on said shaft, a crosshead rigid with said carrier, and a pair of spaced connecting arms rigid with said crosshead, said frame further comprising a rear part including a pair of spaced rocker arms and journals connecting said rocker arms with said connecting arms for pivotal movement about transverse horizontal axes perpendicular to said first and second axes; front traction means for said first part comprising front axle means parallel with said transverse horizontal axes and mounted in said su'bframe; first and second rear traction means for said second part, each of said rear traction means connected with one of said rocker arms; motor means mounted on said front part and connected with said rocker arms for pivoting said rocker arms about said transverse horizontal axes so as to selectively move said connecting arms toward and away from the ground; a material-receiving bucket provided intermediate said first and second rear traction means, said bucket comprising a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion constituting a material-admitting scoop and extending rearwardly and beyond said second part and said rear traction means; coaxial pivot means connecting said bucket to one of said pairs of arms for pivotal movement about a third axis parallel with said transverse horizontal axes; and means mounted on said front part and connected with said bucket for pivoting the same about said pivot means so as to lift the scoop away from the ground to such an extent that, at least when said connecting arms are pivoted away from the ground, the material admitted through said scoop may descend by gravity toward said front portion.

2. A combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said motor means comprises a first and a second motor for independently pivoting said rocker arms with respect to each other, said bucket further comprising transversely extending hinge means for pivotally connecting said scoop to said front part, and means for pivoting said scoop about said hinge means.

3. A combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the front part of said bucket has a transversely extending material admitting opening and a scraper blade adjacent to said opening, said bucket tiltable in said frame between two spaced positions in one of which said scoop is lowered to the ground and in the other of which said blade is lowered to the ground so that the scoop may admit earth and like materials into the bucket when said traction means advance the frame in rearward direction and that said opening may admit earth and like materials into the bucket when said traction means advance the frame in forward direction.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said scoop fiares rearwardly and outwardly so that its maximum width at least equals the distance between said first and second rear traction means.

5. In an apparatus for moving earth and similar materials, in combination, a supporting frame comprising a front part and a rear part; front and spaced first and second rear ground-contacting traction means for the respective parts of said frame; a material receiving bucket provided intermediate said first and second rear traction means, said bucket comprising a front portion and a rear portion and said rear portion constituting a scoop which extends rearwardly and beyond said rear traction means; pivot means mounting the front portion of said bucket on said frame parts for vertical pivoting movement; means for pivoting one of said frame parts with respect to the other frame part so as to jackknife the frame and to thereby move said front and rear traction means nearer to each other; and means for pivoting said bucket with respect to at least one of said frame parts so as to lift said scoop to such an extent that, at least when the frame is jackknifed, a material admitted through said scoop may descend by gravity toward said front portion.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 5, further comprising separate drive means for each of said rear traction means.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said rear frame part comprises a first and a transversely spaced second rocker arm, each supportingly connected to the respective rear traction means, said means for pivoting one of said frame parts with respect to the other frame par-t comprising first and second motor means mounted on said front frame part and connected with the respective rocker arms for pivoting the rocker arms independently of each other and for thereby moving the respective rear traction means in spaced vertical planes.

8. In an apparatus for moving earth and similar materials, in combination, a supporting frame comprising a front part and a rear part, each of said parts having a pair of transversely spaced arms and the arms of one of said parts extending in the general direction of the other part and vice versa; front and spaced first and second rear ground-contacting traction means for the respective parts of said frame; a material receiving bucket provided intermediate said pairs of arms and between said first and second rear traction means, said bucket comprising a front portion and a rear portion and said rear portion constituting a scoop which extends rearwardly and beyond said rear traction means; pivot means mounting the front portion of said bucket on the pairs of arms of said frame parts for vertical pivoting movement; means for pivoting one of said frame parts with respect to the other frame part so as to jackknife the frame and to thereby move said arms away from the ground by simultaneously moving said front and rear traction means nearer to each other; and means for pivoting said bucket with respect to at least one of said frame parts so as to lift said scoop to such an extent that, at least when the frame is jackknifed, a material admitted through said scoop may descend by gravity toward said front portion.

9. In an apparatus for moving earth and similar materials, in combination, a supporting frame comprising a front part and a rear part; front and spaced first and second rear ground-contacting traction means for the respective parts of said frame; a material receiving bucket provided intermediate said first and second rear traction means, said bucket comprising a front portion and a rear portion and said rear portion constituting a scoop which extends rearwardly and beyond said rear traction means, said front portion having a front end wall distant from said scoop; pivot means mounting the front portion of said bucket on said frame parts for vertical pivoting movement, said pivot means being located nearer to said front end wall than to said scoop; means for pivoting one of said frame parts with respect to the other frame part so as to jackknife the frame and to thereby move said front and rear traction means nearer to each other; and means for pivoting said bucket with respect to at least one of said frame parts so as to lift said scoop to such anextent that, at least when the frame is jackknifed, a material admitted through said scoop may descend by gravity toward said front portion.

10. An earth moving vehicle comprising a wheeled support structure composed of a front part and a rear part; a hopper adjacent said rear part of said support structure, a slidable pusher plate disposed in upright position in said hopper and mounted for movement from a position adjacent the forward end of said hopper to a position adjacent the rearward end to push material out the open rearward end of said hopper, mounting means in the upper region of said hopper, means pivotally connecting said mounting means to said front part of said support structure for pivoting movement about a horizontal axis located in said upper region of said hopper, first power means connected etween said front part of said support structure and said hopper for pivoting said hopper about said axis to elevate the rearward open end of said hopper from a position in which the rear edge of the hopper floor is below grade to a position in which the rear edge of the floor is above said axis and the hopper is upwardly inclined from said axis, and second power means connected between said hopper and said slidable pusher plate for moving said plate rearwardly while the rearward end of the hopper 15 is elevated to force material in said hopper out the open rearward end thereof.

11. In an apparatus for moving earth and similar materials, in combination, a front supporting structure; a rear supporting structure; from and spaced first and second rear ground-contacting traction means for the respective supporting structures; a material receiving bucket provided intermediate said first and second rear traction means, said bucket comprising a front portion and a rear portion and said rear portion constituting a scoop which extends rearwardly and beyond said rear traction means; first pivot means mounting said front portion of said bucket on said front supporting structure; second pivot means mounting said front portion of bucket on said rear supporting structure; first power means connected between said front supporting structure and said hopper for pivoting said hopper about said first pivoting means to elevate said scoop from a lower to a higher position in which latter position the hopper is upwardly inclined from said first pivoting means; and second power means connected between said hopper and said slida'ble pusher plate for moving said plate rearwardly and forwardly within said hopper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,891,266 12/1932 Le Tourneau 37l26 1,926,309 9/1933 Pierce 37-4 2,061,924 11/1936 Slate 37129 2,249,356 7/1941 Goodman 371175 2,368,202 1/1945 Clark 18052 2,396,287 3/1946 Robb 37l26 2,406,300 8/ 1946 Le Tourneau 37l26 2,700,232 1/1955 Eller 37l26 2,795,872 6/1957 Wardle 37126 FOREIGN PATENTS 562,672 12/1957 Belgium.

568,193 6/1958 Belgium. 1,248,265 10/1960 France.

ABRAI-IAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

20 JAKE A. MANIIAN, R. DOUGLAS, ROBERT c. RI-

ORDON, BENJAMIN HERSH, Examiners. 

11. IN AN APPARATUS FOR MOVING EARTH AND SIMILAR MATERIALS, IN COMBINATION, A FRONT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; A REAR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; FRONT AND SPACED FIRST AND SECOND REAR GROUND-CONTACTING TRACTION MEANS FOR THE RESPECTIVE SUPPORTING STRUCTURES; A MATERIAL RECEIVING BUCKET PROVIDED INTERMEDIATE SAID FIRST AND SECOND REAR TRACTION MEANS, SAID BUCKET COMPRISING A FRONT PORTION AND A REAR PORTION AND SAID REAR PORTION CONSTITUTING A SCOOP WHICH EXTENDS REARWARDLY AND BEYOND SAID REAR TRACTION MEANS; FIRST PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRONT PORTION OF SAID BUCKET ON SAID FRONT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; SECOND PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING SAID FRONT PORTION OF BUCKET ON SAID REAR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE; FIRST POWER MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID FRONT SUPPORTING STRUCTURE AND SAID HOPPER FOR PIVOTING SAID HOPPER ABOUT SAID FIRST PIVOTING MEANS TO ELEVATE SAID SCOOP FROM A LOWER TO A HIGHER POSITION IN WHICH LATTER POSITION THE HOPPER IS UPWARDLY INCLINED FROM SAID FIRST PIVOTING MEANS; AND SECOND POWER MEANS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID HOPPER AND SAID SLIDABLE PUSHER PLATE FOR MOVING SAID PLATE REARWARDLY AND FORWARDLY WITHIN SAID HOPPER. 